The Atlantic to the Pacific: What to See and How to See it (1873), by John Erastus Lester

THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD IN CALIFORNIA.

The origin of the name California and its signification have
been the subject of much discussion.1 To the curious it
presents a field of investigation full of interest and profit.
The history of the Spanish Settlements in North America,
and the accounts given by the early English navigators of the
Pacific, will be brought into requisition.2 For myself, while
thus engaged, I chanced upon an ancient record of the finding
of gold in California, earlier indeed by many years than any
which I had before read. The name of John A. Sutter will
always be mentioned in connexion with finding gold on
American River, as the first discoverer. He was an early
pioneer to the Pacific country, took up a large tract of land,
and built a fort as protection against Indians. He erected a
mill, and in the race which conducted the water upon the
wheel, the gold was found, and hence, from his ownership of
the property, his name is commonly given as the discoverer.
There was in his employ a man by name James W. Marshall,
who attended to the working of this mill. One day he was
at work clearing out the race, and came upon a deposit of
what appeared to be gold. He was several days in satisfying
himself of its purity, and having done so he showed it to
Sutter, whose property was thus made of fabulous value.
They agreed to keep the matter secret, but such fortune was
too good to be kept quiet, and soon a great army of men
were on their way across the plains to California. As the
news spread over the Atlantic, from every city and town
in Europe sturdy men set out for this new El Dorado of the
West. The old miller who so soon became a miner long ago
died, but his discovery was followed by the astonishingly rapid
growth of the State which has been described in these pages.

1See ‘Annals of San Francisco,’ &c., p. 23. Soule, 1855.
N.Y.

2See ‘History of California.’ Robert Greenhow, Translator
and Librarian to the Department of State, Washington; also
‘Memoirs, Historical,’ &c., by same. 1840.

By examining the old record we shall observe how
quaintly is told a much earlier discovery of the metal, although
it was not so thoroughly tested as to make the facts certain.
I will copy first the title to the old book. It is a very rare
volume, and was found in Colorado, where it was taken by a
French gentleman who many years ago emigrated to that
territory.

“A Voyage Round the World by the way of the Great South
Sea. Performed in the year 1719-20-21-22 in the Speedwell
of London, of 24 guns and 100 men (under His Majesty’s
Commission to cruise on the Spaniards in the late war with
the Spanish Crown), till she was cast away on the Island of
Juan Fernandez in May 1720; and afterwards continued in
the Recovery, the Jesus Maria, and Sacra Familia, &c. By
Capt. George Shelvocke, Commander of the Speedwell,
Recovery, &c., in this expedition. MDCCXXVI.”

The author then makes the following record:

“As to the bounds and extent of California our geographers
have never yet been able to determine either by their own
observations or information from others, whether it is an
island, or a part of the continent of North America.”

He gives his reasons for not trying to determine the
above facts thus, and speaks of what he thought was gold.

“It would be perhaps more a satisfaction to the curious
than any real advantage to us; since it would be much the
same to us whether it be an island, or a part of the continent
if we had any advantageous views of making any settlements
there.

“The eastern coast of that part of California, which I had a
sight of, appears to be mountainous, barren, and sandy and
very like some parts of Peru; but nevertheless the soil about
Puerto Seguro, and (very likely in most of the valleys) is a
rich black mould, which as you turn it fresh up to the sun
appears as if intermingled with gold-dust, some of which we
endeavoured to wash and purify from the dirt; but though
we were a little prejudiced against the thoughts that it would
be possible that this metal should be so promiscuously and
universally mingled with common earth, yet we endeavoured
to cleanse and wash the earth from some of it, and the more
we did the more it appeared like gold; but in order to be
further satisfied, I brought away some of it, which we lost in
our confusions in China. But be that as it will, it is very
probable that this country abounds in metals of all sorts,
though the inhabitants had no utensils or ornaments of any
metal whatsoever, which is no wonder, since they are so perfectly
ignorant in all arts.”

We might speculate upon the changes which would have
come over this country, had the fact become settled. The
‘confusions’ may have lost to England the State of California;
for if her people had learnt that treasure was to be
found there they would have soon made their way across the
seas, driven out the Spaniards, and unfurled their flag in
token of government.